Saints and Sinners

The first half of Leslie Arliss' comedy/drama shows the sins of various folks in a small Irish village: greed, theft, seduction, and other temptations and pleasures of the flesh. Then, when the locals are convinced that fiery angels are coming to destroy the world at noon on Tuesday their sudden confessions to the Canon, and his reactions to the entire affair are very funny and may also get us to think just a wee bit about our own situation. There's just enough humor and Irish charm to keep it from descending too far into standard melodrama.

But the real saving graces of the film are the superb performances by all, particularly by Michael Dolan as the Canon, and Philip Green's lovely score. It is a treat to find a neglected film like this one that is so well made and so memorable.